Hennessy‘s collaboration with LeBron caused a stir recently.
The basketball star teased a major announcement – many expected it to relate to his future in the sport – which turned out to be an advert for the cognac brand.
A partnership of this ilk should’ve been a guarantee of success for Hennessy.
Tom Ingoldby, Head of Sport at PR and comms agency Velvet, explains why the campaign didn’t land in the way the drinks brand will have hoped…
“With speculation around LeBron’s retirement reaching boiling point, Hennessy’s decision to call back to ‘The Decision’ of 2010 was always going to grab attention.
“It should’ve been a slam dunk.
“Instead, fans were left feeling duped. Ticket prices for the Lakers’ next game spiked as the hype machine (and rumour mill) went into overdrive. Only for LeBron to reveal it was all an advert for cognac.
“Talk about an air shot.
“Moves like this shine a light on how business has increasingly blurred the line between athlete and brand.
LeBron’s fans have been central to his rise, but this stunt suggests the balance has tipped, leaving the audience feeling less like a community, more like a commodity.
“The campaign might have landed better with a touch more honesty. A nod to fans, some exclusive content. Even tickets – everyone loves a freebie!. Anything that gave back, rather than just sold.
“Suspense can be powerful in sport marketing, but only when it pays off. When you play with fan emotion, you’re playing with trust, and that’s far harder to rebuild than hype.
“Then again, one has to wonder if the Lakers will be raising a glass of Hennessy at the true nature of the ‘decision.'”